There is hope for veterans struggling with gambling addiction. I'm living proof.

David W. Yaeger is an 11-year veteran of the United States Army, and is author of the book "“Be Happy with Crappy: A Journey Through Trauma, Addiction, Rock-Bottom and Recovery.”

Members of the military take on a certain persona the minute we enlist that stays with us our entire lives.

We’re strong. Upstanding. Dedicated to our country. Courageous. Able to face the most trying situations without batting an eye. Disciplined.

No one possesses these traits at the levels military men and women do.

Having served our country in the U.S. Army for 11 years, I know this persona well. And I know how we strive to live up to the expectations.

Don’t get me wrong, the men and women I’ve served with and the veterans I’ve met along the way are some of the strongest, most upstanding, courageous and dedicated people you’ll ever meet. But that persona has one flaw — it overshadows the fact that we are human. We have emotions, experience pain, are susceptible to temptation and struggle with life’s curveballs just like everyone else.

This lack of understanding for our “human side” has led to many of us feeling isolated and fragile when faced with the challenges of addiction. Family and friends fail to recognize the signs we put forth, and we fail to recognize them within ourselves. Wired to be resilient and defend others above ourselves, we aren’t the type to admit weakness or know who and how to ask for help.

Take PTSD. It took decades for PTSD in vets to be recognized and understood. Until it was, the “treatment” was opioids for the pain. Consequently, opioid addiction is rampant, with more deaths among veterans caused by opioids than by injury in the line of duty.

Here’s another statistic you may find shocking: The National Council on Problem Gambling reports that studies consistently find gambling-addiction rates among active-duty military and veterans to be “significantly higher” than the general population.

I am one such statistic.

While stationed in Korea in 2001, I took my last $50, went into a casino and walked out with $500. While that was when my gambling behaviors started, I discovered during my recovery programs that the problem itself went back much further to childhood trauma.

From that first taste of gambling in 2001, I spent six years on the course of a problem gambler, hit rock bottom, then finally got myself into a treatment program. In those six years, I destroyed my life.

By the time I finally reached out for help, I had pushed away everyone I cared about—including my wife and children — and lost job after job in the military in 2005. I owe my life to the therapists at the Veterans Affairs gambling treatment program, who helped me regain my dignity, control and desire to start the climb back to living. They gave me hope as well as the courage to face a lifetime of suppressed emotions and rediscover who I was.

While in therapy, I developed a taste for journaling. One night, I sat down to journal and kept on writing.

That entry turned into the first and probably only book I will ever author, “Be Happy with Crappy: A Journey Through Trauma, Addiction, Rock-Bottom and Recovery.” My intention with this book is not to change the world, be a hero, or “play therapist” to someone struggling with addiction. The choice to change must come from within.

But, if in sharing my experience I can connect with just one person — to be for him or her that one friend that has been there and truly understand, or be a shaft of light among the fear and isolation — then my own ordeals have been for good.

On Thursday, March 15, I will share my story at the Delaware Council on Gambling Problems (DCGP) conference, Service Members, Veterans and Gambling Addiction at Dover Downs Hotel and Casino, which is free for service members and veterans to attend. I am grateful to DCGP for bringing this problem to light and offering members of the military and their families resources for understanding the problems and finding support. I am also grateful to DCGP for giving me an opportunity to make connections with my peers who may otherwise feel they have no place to turn.

There is no single reason precipitating gambling among members of the military. Nor is there a magic formula that assures everyone’s successful recovery.

However, through my own recovery and ongoing work at staying addiction free, I’ve found two pieces of advice applicable to almost anyone. Don’t worry if you don’t know what to do, or the questions to ask. Just keep asking questions and eventually you will come up with the right question and find someone who will give you the right answer and get you on the right path.

My other advice is to never give up hope. I have reunited with my children, am in a wonderful new marriage and will soon walk my daughter down the aisle. And I am proud to say that I am working on finishing my master’s degree in social work, so I can continue to “pay it forward.”

I am living proof that hope, coupled with the courage to find help, can defeat gambling addiction. I encourage anyone concerned that they or a loved one may have a problem to participate in the event on March 15 and allow yourself to experience the power of knowing you are not alone.